


forever the apprentice

by Saricess



Series: Coming to [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-03
Updated: 2020-06-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:33:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24528439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saricess/pseuds/Saricess
Summary: Ahsoka Tano is alive.Anakin Skywalker’s apprentice lives.Vader knew what he had to do.
Relationships: Ahsoka Tano & Darth Vader, Anakin Skywalker & Ahsoka Tano, Darth Maul & Ahsoka Tano
Series: Coming to [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1772656
Comments: 4
Kudos: 51





	1. alive

_ The snow crunched as he walked, the cold not bothering him, his armour projects him well as it did with the other troopers on the moon.  _

_ Before him stood a crushed Jedi cruiser, long forgotten in the Clone Wars. Judging by the snow and the tear in the metals it had been here for some time. _

_ But he knows this. _

_ He continues to walk, ignoring the others around him and stops, close enough to take in the whole damage. He see’s the angle that it crashed on and knows there’s more to it, for it used to hold clones, clones that went against the Jedi. _

_ He senses something near his feet, it’s familiar and bent down one knee to pick the cylinder object out from the snow before standing back up. He brushes some of the snow off and fully looks at it. _

_ He knows his lightsaber, it’s the whole reason he came here. He knew who it belonged to and knew he would find some clue of fate. He activates it and blue lights up, his heart slightly tugs as the energy surrounds him and is able to feel the small hands that once wield it. _

_ It’s left here which only means one thing, something he didn’t want to believe, but the evidence is staring at him. _

_ A bird cries and he looks up to watch it circle him from above, there’s something about it that seems important, an aura around it that makes him start for a moment. _

_ With one look at the clone helmet in the snow before him, painting in markings he knew all too well, he deactivates the lightsaber which brings him coldness. He turns and walks away with an important piece of information on his mind. _

_ Ahsoka Tano is dead. _

* * *

He woke up from his meditation, eyes looking at the light in his chamber. 

How long had it been since then? Since he found lightsabers and realised that she was dead? He could still remember the smile she gave him when they reunited after months of being apart, the look she gave him when seeing the blue of her lightsabers, the way she immediately used them so well.

He clenched his fist, he needed to stop looking at memories and forget the past. Everyone was gone, dead; There was only him now.

“Lord Vader Sir.” a voice comes outside. “We have received a message from The Grand Inquisitor.”

His helmet is put back on and his vision coloured red, his stands just as his chambers open and turns around to see a male officer.

“Very well.” His mechanic voice booming through the quiet room. “Take me there.”

The officer nods and leans him to a room with a holoprojector, a blinking red light on the side which he pressed.

“Lord Vader, I have found evidence of a Jedi survivor on the moon of Raada.” The Grand Inquisitors voice came through.

“Do you have a name for this Jedi?”

“Yes Lord Vader, the evidence here supports that the survivor is none other then Ahsoka Tano.”

He feels breathless, more then he already was, his heart stopping at the what of her name. But how can that be? She’s supposed to be dead? “Are you certain?”

“Yes Lord Vader, the people living here have said so.” There was some glee in the man's voice, no doubt they had to use extreme methods to get this information.

“Very well, I shall arrive shortly.”

“Yes My Lord.”

As soon as the communication is cut off he turns to the officer. “Ready my ship.”

“Yes sir.” The man salutes before going to follow his order, leaving Vader alone.

His hands grip the sides of the holoprojector, a few cracks appearing and screens breaking along the walls.

Ahsoka Tano is alive.

Anakin Skywalker’s apprentice lives.

Vader knew what he had to do.


	2. ahsoka found

Ahsoka knew something bad was going to happen, she could feel something coming from her and knew that no matter how fast she ran, it would catch up to her. If she fled Raada it would only follow her to wherever she goes next, it would wait until she’s tired herself out before striking.

_ Not today. _ Ahsoka thought determinedly, no she would stay on Raada where she was strong, where she would regain her strength quickly and fight off whatever was coming for her. 

She kept away from the previous areas she visited, her name is known now and the Empire has made their move on the moon. It was dangerous to stay there, so she took her ship and flew far away, where there was no civilisation and animals that might get harmed in the upcoming battle.

She sits on a large rock in the ground, crossed legged while her ship stans just a few feet away. Meditating, calling her nerves for what’s about to come. 

_ I am one with the Force and the Force is with me, I am one with the Force and the Force is with me, I am one with the Force and the Force is with me…. _

Time went by and the dark feeling came, her eyes snapped open and she could sense a small ship coming her way. A few people but only one that carried such darkness was coming for her, no doubt someone else trying to take out the surviving Jedi. She stands as it comes closer and she can feel such anger and hate from the individual coming for her.

_ Who is this? _

The ship comes into view but doesn’t shoot, it lands away from her and Ahsoka keeps on her guard. Her lightsabers secured on her waist as well as her blasters, she was ready to fight and give it her all. 

A figure comes out and it, dressed in black armour as well as a helmet, donned with a black cape reaching their feet. Ahsoka feels goosebumps on her skin and curses herself.

_ This is no time to get scared Ahsoka. _

The figure walks closer until they stand before the rock she stands on, the red lenses of their mask staring up and her. This wasn’t someone ordinary, no bounty hunter, assassin, or crime lord. No this was bigger, and by the ship he had he came from somewhere with riches.

The mark on the ship belonged to the Empire.

“So it’s true.” A voice mixed in with mechanics comes from the helmet. “The apprentice of Anakin Skywalker lives.”

She raises an eyebrow at him. _ He clearly knows who I am, more so then the other people here.  _ Her heart clenches at the mention of Anakin’s name, it’s only been a few years since the rise of the Empire and his death still hurts her.

But now’s not the time to duel on that. “You work for the Empire.”

“I do.”

“Are you here to kill me?”

“No, a proposition.” 

That surprised her. “A proposition? Why would the Empire offer me something?”

“They’re not,  _ I _ am.”

She furrows her eyebrows as he continues to speak. “You can come with me and work by my side, or watch Raada die.”

_ What?! _ “Why would you do that? You need Raada for supplements for your military supplies.”

“There are always other moons and planets to use, inhabitant or not.” The figure said without a care. “The people here will die.”

“Even your own?”

“Insignificant they are.”

Ahsoka glares at him and puts her hands on the hilt of her lightsabers, the small cold touch giving her some comfort. “Who are you?”

They don’t reply and she reaches out into the Force surrounding them, forcing her way through the burning hate, anger and the blizaring cold. She finds something light and warm underneath, something familiar. 

_ What is this? _ Ahsoka digs deeper, the warmth calling to her. The familiarity comforting her and wraps around her, she sinks into it.

_ Ahsoka... _

_ No….No! It can’t be! _ Her eyes snap open and she steps backward, catching her breath and she stares at the figure before her. “Anakin…?”

The figure is silent for a moment before replying. “That name means nothing to me now. I am Darth Vader”

“No...No I refuse, I can’t-!” She staggers back as her body shakes, her hands removing themselves from her lightsabers. “How?”

“All will be revealed if you come with me.” He holds out a hand, covered in a black leather glove. Ahsoka eyes it before looking back at him, she needs - wants to know what the hell happened to him. He was supposed to be dead, so how is he alive? Why is he here? Dressed in this amour and so full of anger and hatred.

She wanted all of these questions answered, but needed to know the safety of Raada. “If I come with you, Raada will stay?”

He nods. “It will.”

She weights out her options and takes a deep breath before walking off the rock, she makes her way to him and stops before him. Looking at hand once again before putting her hands in his, a small gasp releases from her lips when he gently grips it. She looks up at him and hates how she can’t see his eyes.

“Good.” He praises and turns. “Let us go.”

They go into his ship where he orders the other people to get back, they scramble away at his order and she could sense the fear they had for him. 

_ Oh Anakin, what happened to you? _

There was also another thing she noticed that had some of their eyes widened a little.

He hadn’t let go of her hand.


	3. revealed

Time went by like a blur to Ahsoka, their ship had beamed into an Imperial cruiser and Anakin -Vader - whatever he called himself, led her down a lift and hallways until they came into a cell. It held a single bed against the opposite wall and a small door on the left which led her to a refresher, the room was all black but had lights on the ceiling. 

“You will remain in here until the Emperor has given orders.” He said to her, Ahsoka hated how calm he spoke with no emotion. “Guard will be posted here at all times, trying to escape will be futile.”

She just nods at him, she’s not going to escape, not yet anyways. The sliding door closes behind them with a hiss and she turns to him, determined.

“Will you tell me now? I...I don’t understand what’s going on. They said you died during battle but you’re here, and working for Palpatine no less! I thought you would never turn! How...How did you?! What happened?!” 

Tears brim at her eyes but they don’t fall, her voice is desperate and her breath is heavy. She can’t tell how he’s looking at her behind his mask and hates it.

“Sit, and I will explain everything.”

She does, the soft and comfortable bed makes her body cry in joy as all it’s known is hardwood flooring for the best part of the last three years. 

* * *

She stared at him with wide eyes as he finished telling her everything that had happened after she left for Mandalore. She knew of him killing Dooku, that Obi-Wan had been sent to fight General Grievous and of Anakin going to tell Palpatine about his former Master finding him, she knew of the name Darth Sidious. But now she knew everything that filled in the gaps that she desperately wanted to know; Anakin having nightmares of Padme dying in childbirth, that was proven true as well as the death of their unborn child. The death of Mace Windu by his and Palpatine’s hands as well as other Jedi Masters, the younglings killed by Anakin. Obi-Wan duels him and leaves him to die near lava after chopping off his legs.

It all made so much sense now, but that doesn’t mean it made it any better.

“I don’t believe it…” Her voice was cracked as tears fell down her cheeks. “How could all of us have been so blind?”

“All the Jedi were, you know that as well as anyone.” He tells her. “The Jedi betrayed the Republic and have faced their consequences.”

“What about me? I’m still alive.”

“You are not a Jedi.”

She didn’t say anything back, it was true.

“It was good for you to have left, you saw how blind and distrusting the Jedi were. They threw you away like nothing.”

The words stung despite it being true, perhaps it was because of Anakin telling her these things. “I lost faith in the Order, not the Jedi as a whole.” When he didn’t say anything she asked. 

“Anakin, why...why did you do all of this? You could have called me anytime and I would have answered, I would have helped you and stopped all of this!”

“Would you?” He asked, not correcting her on using his real name. “What would you have done?”

“I would of told you not to believe in Palpatine! He was the Sith Lord! There was no way you could of trusted him, we could of stopped him from destroying us, the Jedi and the Republic. I would of helped you save Padme.”

“You truly would have done that?”

“Of course!” She looked at him desperately. “You weren’t just my Master or my friend, you were my brother. I loved you back and I still do now, so please...stop all of this.”

He is silent for a moment. “It’s too late, what done is done.”

“It’s never too late.”

“It is now.” His voice hardened, making her straighten. “There’s nothing left but the Empire now, the past is dead -  _ Anakin Skywalker is dead _ .”

Ahsoka grits her teeth in anger, how could he say such a thing? The only reason she found out the man underneath the mask was her former Master is because she sensed him in there, it was small but still there; still keeping the light and warmth of what was him of the past.

Anakin Skywalker is not dead. “Not to me he isn’t.” She glares at him, because she’s right. Anakin is still alive somewhere in that black armour, and she’s going to get him back.

Another bit of silence passes before she asks. “What are you going to do with me? You told me that you had a proposition for me, to be by your side. If Anakin Skywalker is really dead, then why do you want me?”

“It is  _ I, _ Darth Vader who wants you.” He emphasises on himself. “You are powerful, having survived the Clone Wars and hidden under the Empire’s rule. You will become a powerful ally and fight along my side.”

“Never.” She hisses at him. “I will never join the Empire.”

“You do not have a choice.” Despite not being able to see his face, Ahsoka can feel his glare. “You will come willingly or I will force you. If you refuse, Raada goes.”

“You said as long as I came with you that it would stay!” 

“The deal has changed.” He spoke calmly 

She glares at him and feels as if he’s about to speak, but a sound comes from his wrists and he answers it.

“Lord Vader Sir, we are entering hyperspace.”

“Very well.” He answers and ends the call, straightening up. “You should get some rest, it will be a while before we arrive.”

“Where are we going?”

“To see the Emperor.” He answers and she feels her skin prickle. “I will tell him of my use for you.”

“What if he thinks of me as worthless?” She bites back. “What if he won’t allow you to have me by your side?”

“He will find you useful.” He answered, and Ahsoka took notes of his clenched fists. “Even if he denies you for being besides me, he will not kill you.”” He turns to the door but stops as it opened. “It would be wise for you to accept whatever offer I give you.”

“You’ll kill me if I won’t?” She asks with a small bit of a tease, she really shouldn’t but it helps her come to terms with what’s happening.

He stands for a second before leaving, the door closing behind him, nothing leaving his lips - or helmet should she say.

Ahsoka sighs heavily and lowers her upper body, hands gripping the edge of the bed.

_ I can’t believe it...Maul was right. _


End file.
